Wow, the junior LHP from South Carolina, Roth, we just drafted in the 31st round has some pretty strong numbers for this round....1.1 ERA, 1.03 WHIP in 16 starts and 93Ks in 114.7 IPs...was a reliever the years before with good production there...very solid pick...maybe he is this years Packer or Roberto Perez (as in 3rd day find)

daingean wrote:Texas just took Jonathan Taylor from UGA. Poor kid was very seriously injured in an OF collision with Zack Cone. Last I heard he was in the spinal care facility. Nice gesture by the Rangers.

Wow. Agree nice gesture. Last i heard doctors were optimistic that he could "walk again"...but nothing on baseball. Interesting to see if they truely try and sign him, which you'd think they would as if it was just a token pick, could have waited til round 50

EDIT:

Just remembered that the Rangers also took Zach Cone.....

Last edited by Hermie13 on Wed Jun 08, 2011 5:07 pm, edited 2 times in total.

RedSox get SR 1B David Chester from Pittsburgh...1 of the last good College bats left (OPS over 1000 with good BB/K)....with our lack of power and bats in general I really don't get why we don't go get for a guy like this...at worst he is a decent filler in A ball....we draft 4 arms instead...it's nit picking I know but instead of going for a Wagoner-filler reliever, why not go bat?

Tondo wrote:Wow, the junior LHP from South Carolina, Roth, we just drafted in the 31st round has some pretty strong numbers for this round....1.1 ERA, 1.03 WHIP in 16 starts and 93Ks in 114.7 IPs...was a reliever the years before with good production there...very solid pick...maybe he is this years Packer or Roberto Perez (as in 3rd day find)

COLUMBIA -- The phone buzzed a few weeks back, and the number displayed was not one Michael Roth recognized. He answered anyway. The South Carolina junior was taken aback when he realized it was a major league scout, wondering what it would take for Roth to go pro this summer.

"It flustered me up," Roth said. "I was all shaken up. I don't have an advisor. I hadn't thought about the draft, at all, to be quite honest with you."

Michael Roth takes a recent walk through the Horseshoe on South Carolina's campus. The junior has starred on the mound and also in the classroom, sporting a 3.9 GPA.

The moment says a lot about Roth. Despite becoming one of the more dominant pitchers in one of the country's more dominant conferences -- Roth is 11-3 with a stunning 1.17 ERA in 107 2/3 innings -- this month's MLB draft had not occurred to him.

"I don't think he's focused on 'will I get big bucks in the draft?' " said Deborah Roth, Michael's mom. "I think he's living and enjoying his life."

Roth has been more focused on what's happening with his South Carolina teammates as they begin the defense of their NCAA title this week. And he's been more interested, too, in his schoolwork. Seriously.

Roth, in his first year as a starter, was chosen last week as one of two first-team All-SEC starting pitchers. Earlier this week, he was among a list of 30 semifinalists for the

Golden Spikes Award, given to the top player in college baseball.

But Roth was also named last week an Academic All-American. As part of his international business program -- one in which he has a 3.9 GPA -- Roth will spend July in Alicante, Spain. He'll be immersed in the language; and he is sneaking in a one-hour windsurfing elective.

"I've never windsurfed or surfed," he said. "I should be able to learn in a month. Right?"

Roth's learning curve seems to operate differently than his peers, using his pitching arc as an example.

Evolution of a pitcher

A year ago, Roth had thrown a grand total of 24 innings as a left-handed specialist (a lefty who comes in to get left-handed hitters out). That changed with the NCAA regional's first game, though, when Roth was perfect in the final 3 1/3 innings to help USC defeat Bucknell.

The coaching staff saw something and filed it away. When the Gamecocks needed a starter to face Clemson in the College World Series, Roth was then-pitching coach Mark Calvi's first instinct. And it was a rather good instinct.

Roth pitched what was likely the most improbable complete game in CWS history, throwing a three-hitter at the Tigers in an elimination game that allowed USC to continue on toward the national title. South Carolina coach Ray Tanner later said his "dream" for Roth was five innings.

In fact, the way he describes that game is very much the way he has summed up Roth's junior season. He says Roth will always be competitive and give USC a chance to win, but the end results have exceeded whatever statistical expectations he has for Roth.

Tanner knew he wanted Roth to be a starter this year, because he brought a presence to the weekend rotation. He brought experience and, as a captain, leadership. But the video-game numbers? C'mon.

"We felt like we had to have him out front," Tanner said. "We had no idea it would turn out like this. We thought he would be good, but to say he would do what he's done, I wouldn't have gone that far."

With Jerry Meyers back as pitching coach, Roth has become more mechanically sound. He has tinkered with arm angles to right- and left-handed batters. Rarely touching 90 miles an hour, he outsmarts those standing in against him.

Roth demanded the ball last week for the SEC tournament opener, and he responded with USC's first complete game of the season, the team's first since his effort in Omaha. Tanner said Wednesday he'll likely get the ball Friday against Georgia Southern in this year's NCAA regional opener.

Ultimate leverage

As for the draft, which begins Monday, it's an intriguing topic to Roth. But it's like discussing it with someone five years before it happens, not five days.

The scout asked him about Spain. Roth told him he would like to go, either way. Even if he did wind up leaving after this season, Roth knows he would eventually complete his degree.

Many college players are concerned about losing leverage with pro teams if they don't leave as a junior, but Roth has his own leverage in terms of the security of his degree.

"I don't know what the draft holds for me, I really don't," Roth said. "I don't know a number that could buy me out of my senior year. Am I ready to start my professional career? Yeah, I think I'm physically ready and mentally ready. Is that something that will happen? No, I don't know. I'm not sure."

Being himself and keeping things in balance has worked out well so far. That doesn't figure to change in this NCAA tournament -- or well beyond it.

"If he does the right things," his mom said, "he thinks it'll work out the way it's meant to be."

Cleveland Indians: They shocked everyone with Dillon Howard (2) as their first pick of Day 2; he is a tough sign and was expected to go later in the round to a team with deeper pockets, but Cleveland did spend on several players last year and he'd be a great add. Jake Sisco (3) is 91-93 mph with two above-average secondary pitches for Merced JC in California. Will Roberts (5) made news this spring with a perfect game against GWU; he has average stuff but can really pitch and could make himself into a fourth or fifth starter. Stephen Tarpley (8) is a very projectable lefty who missed most of the spring with a torn ACL, but you can dream on the arm. Zach MacPhee (12) is a "gamer" middle infielder who developed the unfortunate habit of popping everything up this spring. Jake Lowery (4) was a good senior-sign type whose stats benefited from a great home park at James Madison.

Just looking at this draft, there seems to be some good players and many more projectable players in HS and JC than last year that may develop or may not. However, it just doesn't seem that there is a wow factor like last year. It also seems like if we don't sign one of the top players in Lindor and Howard, it has the potential to be a bad to very bad draft.

Just was looking at some of the BA's top 100 from last year and there was a whole lot of potential that was already pushing through and thus got ranked high

And, then there was several in the 100-200 range that just oozzed good qualities. The only picks that were questioned at the top of the draft were Bartaloone, and maybe Cook and Cooper. But, even those two were solid college guys - not just with a lot of upside.

This year, it just seems like we topped loaded the draft than went with easier signs in the middle and lost out of good upside players that went to other teams in round 4-6.

Top 100HS - Lindor, Howard, Dillion (just missed at 104)

Now I like the upside of guys like Haase and Sisco ... just seemd like they didn't gamble on signings of Lowery, Roberts and Myles. They may have went where they were suppose to go -- good kids for those rounds. But, if they were really gambling on wanting more Dillions ready if either one of the two top picks don't sign, then they should have kept the gas pedal on and went over slot in those round a bit more like they did with Holt, Blair and Cook, Lavinsky, Avilies (even upped the gamble). This year, where is the gamble in the middle rounds ??? Haase and Tarpley? Even Smith is listed as Tony as a "summer follow - interesting bat" is that a complement or a ? on if we sign him and to how much.

Just thought if this draft had a bunch of 95 mph HS righties, we should have tapped into that more in rounds 4-6, knowing that we wouldn't sign some of them. Thus, you get the players that you want before another team does. Instead of settling for someone after Lindor or Howard, you go with your #2/#3 guy on your backup list and not #99 guy that slipped through to the later rounds due to signability or make-up questions.

Now, you can say they took some later, but they are the left overs that are harder signs or farther down the list as other teams didn't like... not the top potential. If you have a scout who says this list is the cream of the crop on upside potential, then tap them early rounds 1-10 and sign 5 or 7. Then go safe and org filler the rest. Right now with our system, I rather have #2/#3 starter like Dillion and not settle on a back-up catcher like Lowery. Yes, we got Dillion a couple others, but lost out on many others that we had higher on our upside list that went in round 4-10.

Just don't know why Cleveland goes safer in those 4-8 rounds ... was a bit upset with Cook and Bartaloon last year before going Avilies and Lavinsky. This year, it just seemed a longer struggle as they went upside then safe. then upside, then safe again ... at least last year they had a run of harder signs with Aviles, Lavisky, Cooper (not too high on him but good anyways), Holt, Jones, Cannon (safe but doing well) and Goodnight. Of this list, 1/2 of them are going to have good opportunity to be hitting our top 20 list in a year or two (Aviles, Lavinsky, Holt, Goodnight) if not earlier. Who in the middle of this draft can be projected to do that even before they play a game here? Haase?

Lastly on my rant ... if we want a back-up to signing Lindor and Howard, how many do you want? If they are going to be $5 million, shouldn't we have 5-10 other picks that are good enough to spend $1 million on that we can take 5 of them if Lindor and Howard are too rich for their talent? We may have Sparks, Taylor, Dillion and a few others, but are they even worth $1 million like Lavinsky (who was rated 87 by BA)?

Hope someone can fill me in that we may have agreed with BA last year on potential ... but we just got as much potential after Lindor and Howard this year.

The North Carolina based team ran out a quartet of hard throwing right handed pitchers. Adam Griffin started and went 3 innings, striking out 4 hitters and allowing the only NY PG hit of the game. Griffin topped out at 91 mph with good arm side run and showed an easier delivery and better command that he showed at different times this past summer.

Corey Embree is a 2011 OF/RHP with a 6-3 218 lb. frame from Moberly, MO who attends Moberly HS. Big and "country strong" build, loose actions. Outstanding outfield arm strength, low on line throws, very good carry and accuracy, good runner for his size, 7.07. Aggressive long swing, very good bat speed, has quick hands and can get barrel to inner, loose extension out front, ball jumps hard, looks to pull, bombed a 425'+ in game action, very impressive raw power. Also pitched, sound mechanics, loose arm, 3/4's arm slot, pitched with injured toe on left foot which clearly affected him, still up to 87 mph, has potential as 2-way prospect. Athlete whose power plays high.

1. SS Franky Lindor - a given2. RHP Dillon Howard - should have been a 1st rounder3. LHP Dillon Peters - super small lefty, tough sign but would LOVE LOVE to get him4. RHP Jake Sisco - under the radar righty with great stuff and upside5. 3B Taylor Sparks - good bat, great size and potential5b. 3B Kevin Kramer - UCLA bound, will be a tough sign but big potential7. OF Bryson Myles - great speed, good power potential, very raw8. C Jake Lowery - nice power and good defense too from what I hear9. C Eric Haase - OSU bound but could be a nice sign to add to already deep catcher position10. LHP Stephen Tarpley - great arm with a USC committment, more high upside

If we could somehow sign all of these guys it would be an amazing draft.

entertheshoe wrote:What are everyone's top 10 picks based on talent alone?

1. RHP Dillon Howard - advanced HS "pitcher", FOR potential2a RHP Jake Sisco - very advanced and productive for his age, FOR potential with 4 pitch mix2b LHP Dillon Peters - could be 2a because he's a hard throwing LHP, but little more raw, still FOR/MOR potential4. SS Franky Lindor - you know how I feel about him, I don't see a 5 tool spec, and many tools already in question by many (power, speed), only ahead of MYles because of defense and position 5. OF Bryson Myles - I would put him ahead of Lindor bat-wise but I would never hear the end of it, lol. As with Lindor power is questionable but ++ speed to make up 6. C Eric Haase - He's somewhat the C-version of Lindor don't you think? Potential 5 tool, high upside etc7. C Jake Lowery - catcher with power and defense? I'm in8. RHP K.Brady- stuff is there, gotta stay healthy9. RHP Matt Reckling - has backend reliever stuff (+ FB&SL), but command issues 10. RHP S.Armstrong - see Reckling, +FB&CUT but even more inconsistent

petes999 wrote:Now, you can say they took some later, but they are the left overs that are harder signs or farther down the list as other teams didn't like... not the top potential. If you have a scout who says this list is the cream of the crop on upside potential, then tap them early rounds 1-10 and sign 5 or 7. Then go safe and org filler the rest. Right now with our system, I rather have #2/#3 starter like Dillion and not settle on a back-up catcher like Lowery. Yes, we got Dillion a couple others, but lost out on many others that we had higher on our upside list that went in round 4-10.

Just don't know why Cleveland goes safer in those 4-8 rounds ... was a bit upset with Cook and Bartaloon last year before going Avilies and Lavinsky. This year, it just seemed a longer struggle as they went upside then safe. then upside, then safe again ... at least last year they had a run of harder signs with Aviles, Lavisky, Cooper (not too high on him but good anyways), Holt, Jones, Cannon (safe but doing well) and Goodnight. Of this list, 1/2 of them are going to have good opportunity to be hitting our top 20 list in a year or two (Aviles, Lavinsky, Holt, Goodnight) if not earlier. Who in the middle of this draft can be projected to do that even before they play a game here? Haase?

I've wondered about this concept as well. Why take easy sign/low upside guys in the Top 10 or so rounds? Seems like you could find guys like Bartolone in the later rounds. Take the best players at the top of the draft and sign as many as you can, take your easily signable guys later in the draft. The top guys you don't sign will at least be back in the pool for a later draft instead of in another team's system. Is there a PR angle to taking some signable guys in the early rounds? You always hear talk about how they signed the top 12 picks or whatever.

I think there's simply a hierarchy in the "easy sign" pool as well as with the HSlers and the Indians really look to have a mix of both...overall it's a sound approach imho as and org like the Indians can't afford to go risk-only without a "decent" safety net, that's why they take some higher ranked College specs

1 thing I don't like is that we didn't get a SP out of the big "College-MOR/BOR"-pool...most of them went in rounds 4-6...I'm ok with taking Lowery that early as a guy ranked close to him (mostly behind him) just went off the board before him (C Hicks)...looks like we wanted a good College-C and soemwhat need-drafted Lowery then, but Im ok with that and Myles was good too...

Looking back I have a problem with the 5th rounder Roberts, who according to all scouting sites sits in the high 80s and is a pitchability guy...Grant otoh has him in the low to mid 90s in Tony's 2nd day recap article...who's right here? Anyway, that's where we had a last shot to get 1 of the deep College arm pool I was talking about like M.Pope, C.Lowell, Gaviglio, Tropeano, Gardeck or even Osich

So Roberts is kind of a wildcard here...his numbers are obv very good but if he's a pitchability-only guy with little stuff I would have preferred all of the specs above. What's the difference between him and a guy like 31st rounder Roth or fellow Cavalier SP Wilson, who was picked in the 10th?

It was hard enough for me to "understand" taking Lowery (we needed a bat with power, it was a need pick) and letting talent like Noe Ramirez and JR Graham go by but Roberts over the best of the rest of the pool is what I don't get...why going with a Tomlin-like low upside guy instead of a Gaviglio, Gardeck or Tropeano, who are as good AND have upside left? They wouldn't be much more expensive, right? The Indians always seem to make such "outsmart" picks in the 4th to 6th round area...and I just don't see where it's a budget thing....this is scouting-related/falling in love with some 8th to 20th round pick talent

I also would have mixed in a bat in the 10th to 12th round area as there still were some College bats of interest (ie D.Robinson, Buechele, Tanis, McElroy, Seitzer, Tucker), who represented good value there

bmonnig wrote:I've wondered about this concept as well. Why take easy sign/low upside guys in the Top 10 or so rounds? Seems like you could find guys like Bartolone in the later rounds. Take the best players at the top of the draft and sign as many as you can, take your easily signable guys later in the draft.

Well, just because they're easier signs doesn't mean they're lower upside. It could very well be that the scouts thought that Nick Bartalone was the BPA when they got around to their 6th round pick last year. It's impossible to say otherwise with certainty unless you're privy to the org's big board.

We are now in the Diego Seastrunk zone: draft a few seniors who will sign for nothing and battle to get out of EST for a year or two before they get released. Let's get this over fast so we can draft a few more legitimate prospects.

Most quality Seniors couldn't be bought out as Juniors, one reason they go back to college is to finish the degree.

For every 1st round bust there is in not getting to MLB, there are maybe 5 mid-round selections who do.

According to Jonathan Mayo, Reckling's family is loaded. They have apparently given the school A LOT of money with Rice's stadium being named after the family.

Mayo was snickering when he said "the Indians...will try to sign him away from school". Mayo indicated he feels Reckling will simply stay in school to be the ace of the Rice pitching staff and improve his draft stock, which is very possibly the case.

Who are the top 10 best picks in our draft class? Who will be the 10 hardest to sign? Who is a FOR or Ace potential pitcher? How about any potential HR threats or. 300+ hitters? GG type defensive players?

Dillon Howard obviously is gonna get the most press. A couple others with some good potential (maybe not quite FOR but good potential) are Jake Sisco, Stephan Tarpley, and Dillon Peters. Jared Ruxer is an interesting arm to watch too IMO.

Will there/should there be any comparisons between Linecim and Peters? Peters had a phenominall high school career and is verbaled tobrhe best college baseball program in CBB. Hopefully we don't miss out like we did Lincecum

ClevBuck wrote:Will there/should there be any comparisons between Linecim and Peters? Peters had a phenominall high school career and is verbaled tobrhe best college baseball program in CBB. Hopefully we don't miss out like we did Lincecum

Also, found it interesting that a lot of reports have Will Roberts in the high 80s and a guy who lacks much velocity. But everytime the Indians saw him he as 88-93 MPH with his fastball. Sat comfortably at 89-91 and touched 93. This is significantly different from what was found when he was picked.

Who They are: Lindor was in the mix at second overall to Seattle, and Cleveland has to be thrilled with him at eight. A series of almost legendary private workouts in the days leading up to the draft left some thinking Lindor was the best position player available. He's a potential plus defender who will certainly stay at shortstop, and he's a switch-hitter who put on a shocking power display in both Seattle and Arizona, leaving projections for 15-20 home runs annually.

Howard is a first-round talent who matches up well with many of the high school arms taken in the second half of the first round. He's ultra-athletic and can get his fastball up to 95 mph, but he's also a Scott Boras client who will require a seven-figure signing bonus.

Sisco is a rare polished arm from the junior college ranks. His fastball, breaking ball, and changeup are all at least average.

Later Picks of Note: Sixth-round pick Bryson Miles has bat speed and plus speed, but might not be able to play center field as a pro. Eighth-round pick Stephen Tarpley is a lefty with a good ceiling, but he'll need big money to spurn attending college.

Analysis: The Indians must have been ecstatic when they grabbed Lindor. They stayed aggressive with the Howard selection and several later picks that are considered tough signs. Lindor alone makes this a good draft, and their negotiations with Howard and others over the next two months could make it special.

My guess is Peters will be harder to sign because he just may be po'ed by going so late. Plus, he probably is not going to get a really significant offer until we see what happens with Howard. Love both picks but I fear we will only be able to sign 1 unless Dolan really opens up the purse strings. If we get Howard, Peters, Sisco and Tarpley we have signed quite a haul.

Also, found it interesting that a lot of reports have Will Roberts in the high 80s and a guy who lacks much velocity. But everytime the Indians saw him he as 88-93 MPH with his fastball. Sat comfortably at 89-91 and touched 93. This is significantly different from what was found when he was picked.

Whether it's 87-90 mph or 89-92 mph, I think his FB will be passable. He's he hides the ball well behind his body and he gets OK downward leverage on his FB. Will Roberts was a nice pick in the sixth round. He's not flashy, but he's got the delivery of a SP in the major leagues, he's 6'4" and he's a strike thrower. It's pretty doubtful the guy ever makes a top 10 prospect list, but he's a guy that has a chance to contribute to a team in a Nick Blackburn kind of way if all works out. There is some value in that.

Speaking of Virginia pitchers, their weekend rotation this year had a K:BB ratio of 349:50. Not bad!

ClevBuck wrote:I dont see much out of Tarpley, soft tossing Lefty with no abover average secondary pitches

young lefty recovering from injury sites in the low 90's, and could easily end up mid 90's. There aren't many lefties in the entire league that throw mid 90's. A lot of projection with him, but a lot of people are super high on him. His ceiling is higher than Dillon Peters

I've seen Danny Hultzen all three years in college; today is maybe my 5th time seeing him. I never liked him. His pitches just come in so flat -- bigger, stronger version of Jeremy Sowers. I heard this year he was throwing 90-95, though, which is harder than the 88-90 I remember seeing him at. He's on ESPNU right now and he's 89-92 mph consistently. Good God, I'd be mad if I were a Mariners fan and took this guy #2 overall. I love Trevor Bauer, but understand if a team wants to stay away from him, but they had two polished HS arms throwing upper 90s in Bundy and Bradley on the board, as well as Rendon. Some will like Hultzen more than me, so I don't want to be so closed minded, but while the guy is not far from the majors, he just is not that good. This looks like a pick where the owner demanded the safe college arm to be taken. Watching the draft, the guys were like, "They've for Felix Hernandez, Michael Pineda and now Danny Hultzen" LOL, just had to laugh listening to that b/c Hultzen is nowhere close to Hernandez and Pineda talent-wise.

Hope for the Mariners sake this is just an off-day for Hultzen's arm b/c he is just flat average across the board, outside of polish for someone his age b/c he is unquestionably advanced there.

Kind of a random thought here, but the Virginia infield is really good defensively for a college team. This is something that probably benefited Hultzen (and other Virginia pitchers) this year that possibly inflated his value.

I'm not saying he can't be a nice 4 starter, but Hultzen at #2 overall is a horrible draft pick.

John sickles gives the best free scouting material on the web kind of a fun read on the draft , best line in the piece is on Jake Sisco, who sickles pegged as a sleeper"Could be a giant bargain if he doesn't get kidnapped by wormhole aliens."